About Me

I am a lawyer in Melfort, Saskatchewan, Canada who enjoys reading, especially mysteries. Since 2000 I have been writing personal book reviews. This blog includes my reviews, information on and interviews with authors and descriptions of mystery bookstores I have visited. I strive to review all Saskatchewan mysteries. Other Canadian mysteries are listed under the Rest of Canada. As a lawyer I am always interested in legal mysteries. I have a separate page for legal mysteries. Occasionally my reviews of legal mysteries comment on the legal reality of the mystery. You can follow the progression of my favourite authors with up to 15 reviews. Each year I select my favourites in "Bill's Best of ----". As well as current reviews I am posting reviews from 2000 to 2011. Below my most recent couple of posts are the posts of Saskatchewan mysteries I have reviewed alphabetically by author. If you only want a sentence or two description of the book and my recommendation when deciding whether to read the book look at the bold portion of the review. If you would like to email me the link to my email is on the profile page.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Tropéano’s Gun by John Brooke

Tropéano’s Gun by John Brooke – Chief Inspector Aliette Nouvelle of the French Judicial
Police presents a problem to her supervisors that has never been an issue in
the United States. She does not wear her gun.

The Saint-Etienne Walther P38 she was
issued on her graduation 20 years earlier from police academy has spent two
decades resting at the back of her underwear drawer. (She does not advise where
it has been store.)

The absence of the gun has become an
issue because of the incident at the end of the last book, Walls of a Mind, where there was a shootout and she could not help
as she was unarmed.

Aliette explains her reasoning for not
carrying her gun:

“Because I have never ….. I mean to say, I don’t believe in …. I mean to
say, a gun has never really fit with …. with my way of doing things. With all
due respect, sir.”

The Divisional Commissionaire, Gael Doquès,
advises her she must have respect for rules and operational procedure. He
presents here with a “brand new flat-black SIG Sauer SP2022” and a detached
silencer. She undertakes to wear it while on duty and practise regularly.

Before she leaves he tells her that she
has been assigned to see a psychologist, Gabrielle Gravel, to deal with the
issues she has with her gun. Aliette needs to get with the program.

A reluctant Aliette attends at the
office of PsychoDynamo, where the stylish psy tells the officer she will “help
you come to terms with your role as an officer of the law”.

Aliette is surprised, I was startled,
when Gabrielle says the primary therapy will involve Aliette playing in a small
personal sandbox with any of the hundreds of figures and objects Gabrielle has
assembled. If she wants Aliette can wear a mask from Gabrielle’s extensive
collection or make her own mask.

After a wary initial interview Aliette
returns to work. While her territory is some distance from Béziers she is often
at headquarters for meetings.

Within the city there is a developing
major investigation. Two street people have been stabbed to death. The killings
appear random but bizarre notes in the same hand writing have been found near
the bodies.

Within the Judicial Police tension has
been rising because of the appointment of Nabi Zidane, a French Chief Inspector
of African descent, to lead the elite city squad. The unit is the most
prestigious posting in the region. Zidane is resented because of his North
African heritage by many within the Judicial Police who felt it should have not
gone to anyone from an African background.

When a police officer is the next victim
and his gun is taken the investigation becomes intense. The internal divisions
with the Judicial Police are exacerbated.

Back at the office of the psy Aliette is
carefully exploring her feelings about being a police officer and wearing a gun
and why she needs a gun. As with most people she is a private person not
anxious to explore her own psyche.

The mystery proceeds with the search for
the killer roaming the streets at night and with Aliette continuing therapy
with regard to her gun.

Tropéano’s Gun is far from the North American thriller. Violence is there but does not
dominate the story. Instead, the book focuses on the dangers within our minds.
My next post will delve into the psychological issues. Tropéano’s Gun is a mystery which requires the reader to think rather than just riding
the flow of the action. (Oct. 27/15)